If Thou Doest Well Shall Thou Not Be Accepted

Open your Bibles to Genesis chapter 4.

I want to speak to you about a very important subject this morning. Oftentimes it is that we emphasize Salvation.

I believe we should, especially to young people.

It is wonderful when a young person gets saved. It is wonderful when anyone young or old receives the Lord as Savior.

But young people in particular have their whole lives ahead of them to serve the Lord, to walk with Him, to make a difference in a fallen world.

Some times it is we have done a disservice in only speaking to young folks about Salvation.

This morning will not solely be a message on being saved. Although I will certainly testify of my Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and how you too can know Him as Savior.

Before we get started, however, I want to help you:

When we come to the church house we come here to meet with God.

As a matter of fact, I want to tell you that when I sit in church, I come with the expectation that God is going to speak to me.

And in so doing, I have a tablet that I write on to take notes so I can remember what the Lord shows us. I would encourage in two areas. (1) Open your Bible and follow along with the preacher… (2) If you are able take notes about what is said. Most preachers will have some main points to help you remember the truth being taught… start now making it a habit to write those things down.

Maybe for some you are the kind of person that just does better to sit and listen… whatever the case the point is that we are here to worship the Lord and hear from God.

I want to you to see for yourself in your Bible one tremendous truth. So open your Bibles and read along with me.

Genesis 4:1–7 “1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. 2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”

Let’s Pray

I. The Plan

As we begin in Genesis chapter 4, we understand that Adam and Eve have already sinned against God. This is found in Genesis chapter 3.

They disobeyed God’s instruction. They went against God.

Because they sinned, the Bible tells us that they not only had died spiritually--- they were dying physically…

The Lord had told Adam (Genesis 2:16b-Genesis 2:17) “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

They were thrust out of the garden of Eden, at the entrance of the Garden God placed Cherubims--- and a flaming sword that turned every direction (Genesis 3:24)... You see they had broken fellowship and relationship with God.

But God had the plan --- What is the plan?

Well, Because God is all-knowing and all-powerful--- His plan is to be glorified and to redeem man by sending a Savior.

This Savior, we know today, is the Lord Jesus Christ. He came by the seed of woman---in other words--- a man--- but we discover as the Bible progresses that He is God---- He is the God-man--- fully God and fully man.

The Lord Jesus Christ is who God promised in Genesis 3:15 “15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

So when we come to this chapter---- Adam and Eve understood by this that there was coming a Savior who would be born into this world and defeat Satan— our enemy.

But I want you to understand here that every one of us have a need and that is to know God. This is part of the plan.

A. Our Need For God

As you get older you will discover, should the Lord tarry, all kinds of things that people chase after.

Some folks chase after money…so they can buy lots of stuff thinking that will make them happy.

Some chase after fame…thinking the admiration of people will make them happy.

Some chase after physical health… thinking they can stay alive longer...

Some chase after power… they think boy if I could just control the world around me that will fulfill me....but in the end man has a great need and that is for God.

As time goes on some of those things undoubtedly may interest you.

It took me a long time to figure out the answer to this question, why I am here?

That ultimate question… that man has is why am I here?? and what am I to be doing? What is the reason for my life? Is it to have fun? Is it to be smart? Is it to have the applause of men?

You might be thinking, well how do you know Pastor James that man has a need for God?

Let me give you four reasons:

The Bible begins by showing fellowship between man and God.

Genesis 1-3 set the scene for us in the Garden of Eden.

It is there that we discover God created all that is this world for man.

It is there that we discover God created man a help meet for Him… the woman.

The Bible explains that man has corrupted themselves pursing God in corrupt way.

Romans 1:21–23 “21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”

Every time I read that verse I think of totem poles...

People all throughout the ages have been involved in corrupting worship…

In the end the Bible says, that these corrupted “religions” are in fact sacrificing to devils,

“But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.” I Corinthians 10:20

This of course is evidence that man has a need that can only be fulfilled in the one true Living God.

The history of the world shows that every people group that has ever been discovered attempted to worship something.

Examples:

Personal experience.

The plan of God is for you to be saved and to live your life in relationship and fellowship with God.

The plan is for you to walk inn His ways making a difference in this world by serving Him.

B. Our way to God

I have already really alluded to this, but the plan for you necessarily begins with God. The phrase I want you to remember is found at the end of verse 7 which states, “If thou doest well…shalt thou not be accepted...”

God’s plan is for every person to learn that number 1, they have sinned against God, number 2 that the wages of that sin is death, and number 3 the only way to be reconciled to God, have your sin dealt with is by receiving Jesus Christ as Savior… because He paid for our sin, by dying on the cross, was buried having died and came up out of the grave three days later.

When Jesus stated in John 14:6 “6 ..., I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

The Lord was emphasizing that this is the plan of God, I am the only way....”

Not only do we see the plan of God, but secondly we see:

II. The Place

Look with me again at your Bible in verses 3 and 4. The Bible says, “And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof...”

We see they brought offerings to the Lord. This was an act of worship.

And so that brings us to:

A. Our Approach To God

These two brother went to a place, where they intentionally brought an offering to the Lord.

The Bible does not tell us exactly where this was, perhaps it was at the edge of the garden but we do not know.

But it reminds us that we come to this place, this building for the same purposes.

In this age that we live, we do not bring sacrifices of animals or fruits and vegetables.

But we do bring give the Lord the sacrifice of ourselves… in that we submit ourselves to His authority in our lives… we give the Lord the sacrifice of our lips… in that we sing unto the Lord praises… we pray speaking to God.... and lastly we give of our tithes and offerings…the sacrifice of the stuff God has given to us.

But none the less, we come here to meet with God.

In our time we are told by the Lord Jesus Christ in John 4 that we worship God in spirit and in truth.

That simply means this, that worship is something that happens in here....

And we worship according to the truth given in God’s word.

But that doesn't mean that this place we come to is not special. It is special because we have set aside this place for God’s people to assemble.

It is special because we come to this place to worship the Lord.

Thats reminds us secondly, of:

B.Our Time With God

In this passage, we see God dealing with both Can and Abel. The Bible gives us the specifics of the conversation of God

III.

A. Our Counsel From God

B Our Path to Please God

People

Parents

Powers and Authorities

---Pleasing God is at the top of the list.

Let’s Pray.

People

Parents

Powers and Authorities

---Pleasing God is at the top of the list.